Fancy a handbag inspired by ‘Beauty and the Beast’?

Fairy tale vibes

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Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is decidedly one of the most anticipated releases this summer, especially with Emma Watson’s feminist reinterpretation of Belle. If the fairy tale brings back memories of bedtime story sessions with your mom, or if you simply just love a happy ending, then you might want to extend this sprinkle of magic to your wardrobe as well with Disney India and Hidesign’s collection of bags and wallets.

Called ‘Enchanted’, the idea for the collection stemmed from Disney India’s wish to extend the storytelling experience they offer their patrons. Partnering with a hallowed local brand was the way to go, which is where Hidesign came in. Founded in 1978, the homegrown luxury leather brand is renowned for its focus on heritage, craftsmanship and ecological values. With Hidesign mirroring the classic and understated tone of the story, the match was perfect.

It was the aesthetic fabulosity of the imagery and visuals of Beauty and the Beast that first struck Dilip Kapur when Disney India approached him with the idea for this collection. What followed is this collaboration (a first of its kind for Hidesign) that is classic yet contemporary, and trendy yet timeless. Fantasy, naturally, serves as the key theme for the line.

“We did not really go into the psychology or emotions of the characters with the collection. The treatment was more visual—after all, it’s the beauty that attracts us. The creative process began with us receiving imagery related to the story from Disney, and then merging that with quintessentially Hidesign shapes and colours. The idea was to take what’s iconic about Beauty and the Beast and translate it into this collection, while also staying true to our brand values. The end result is classic, cool, and fashion-forward but at the same time, very sophisticated,” explains Kapur.

The 30-piece collection, which was in the work for nine months, features a range of leather and canvas handbags and wallets, all crafted in the brand’s Pondicherry factory. Versatile and age agnostic, you’ll find a plethora of styles, such as totes, satchels, slings, backpacks and structured handbags in a colour palette of red, black, midnight blue, brown and white. The enduring rose motif from the story has been incorporated by way of leather appliqué, patchwork and etching, exuding an overall polished appeal. Though, the collection doesn’t lack a dose of fun either—quirky patches such as Mrs Potts and her son Chip, and a broken heart to symbolise Beast, do the needful.

“My two favourites from the collection include the red patchwork unlined leather tote and the black mini version of our signature ‘Virgin’ bag with a red rose appliqué on it. These two bags would look great on Emma Watson too!” signs off Kapur.

The Hidesign Beauty and the Beast collection in available in stores and on Hidesign.com